Naruto-Calm Before Storm
by Kuroyuki-Kokuyoku
Summary: 25 years ago, Oz Vessalius was switched with Xai Vessalius' stillborn son at birth. What if the child was actually still alive? What if a certain toad sage happened to be passing by and found the child and took him back to Konoha with him? What happens when Oz and his friends find out? Set Pre-Naruto series and Pre-Isla Yura arc. Drabble series format. Slight AU on both ends.
1. Acts I-III

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything by Jun Mochizuka nor Masashi Kishimoto.**

 **Act II: This Act takes place in between Chapter 46 and 47 of Pandora Hearts.**

 **Act III: This Act takes place during Chapter 47 but pre-Isla Yura arc.**

 **"** **normal speech"**

 **'** **thoughts'**

 _ **Quotes taken from the manga**_

* * *

I: The Changeling

A lone man walked down an empty cobblestone pathway that led towards a small relatively unknown church with a tiny bundle of fabric in his arms. He was tall and intimidating with golden blond hair tucked underneath a well made top hat and vivid green eyes. His clothes were finely tailored to suit his frame and made of only the finest of materials. This was Lord Xai Vessalius of the Vessalius Dukedom. To anyone watching, he was simply a wealthy nobleman out for a late night walk. It was already the middle of the night so the streets were completely bare of people. Despite how deceptively peaceful the late evening was, the man thought it was anything but, especially given the situation.

It was that thing's fault. That abomination. It wasn't enough that he took away his son, but also his brother's wife and his nephew in the process. When will that monster in human skin be finally satisfied? How many more must die so that creature may live?

Xai Vessalius looked down in sorrow and despair at his son's unmoving body. Most babies were born full of life. Their bodies wiggling as they stretched out to explore the world outside the uterus. Their tiny shrill cries voicing their needs to anyone who can fulfill them. But his son didn't move when he was born. In fact, he didn't even so much as whimpered as his wife, Rachel, held their newborn to her bosom before passing out from exhaustion. Unbeknownst to her that the child she had carried inside her and waited eagerly for the last nine months to be born was in fact a stillborn. Dead before he took even a single breath outside his mother's womb. Now here Xai was, walking down the worn out pathway with his son's tiny corpse bundled in his arms. What was he thinking? Why was doing this anyways? Ah…that's right. His so-called ancestor's offer.

He stopped in front of the doors of the rundown church. Xai had to admit. This was an ideal place to drop off a baby's dead body. The church was far away enough to be away from any prying eyes. In addition to being rather old and most likely to be torn down within a few years, the place was situated near the slums. If anyone found the stillborn on the steps of the church, they would automatically assume the baby to be an abandoned newborn who wasn't able to survive the night. No one would put up a fuss. And frankly as cold as it was, no one would care. By now, the church's only occupant, a single elderly nun, would be asleep at this hour. She wouldn't awaken until well after morning.

However, the nobleman wasn't here for the old woman. There at the foot of the steps was a fussing infant on top of a bundle of oversized clothes meant to fit a larger child. Its tiny limbs poked out from the mass of fabrics. Xai can even make out faint wisps of golden blond hair on top of the infant's head. If he looked into the child's eyes, no doubt they would be a vibrant emerald green. Both traits are a trademark among members of the Vessalius Family. It was Jack Vessalius. Xai grit his teeth in loathing as he glared down at the small being. The man resisted the urge to murder Jack right there on the spot while he's still in his helpless deaged form. It would be so easy to wrap his hand around that fragile neck or smash its head open with his shoe. He could even take it to a nearby river and drown the thing, and no one will find out unless they fished its rotting carcass from the waters. As much as the man loved to give into his instincts, he can't. For more than one reason. Smothering his murderous intent towards his ancestor, he picked him up roughly and gently replaced the stillborn son where Jack had previously laid. He looked down at his child's small body one last time before taking off to go home. His business was done here.

Halfway towards Vessalius manor, he turned his head back to look towards the direction of the church where his son was. He had died on the same instance he was born. Come to think of it, he didn't have a name to call his own. Xai wanted it to mean something. Something to separate the boy from the freak of an ancestor. Something to show how much his child meant to him and Rachel. Michael. That will be his name. Despite never having a chance to live, he at least deserved a posthumous name. No matter how much time passes he would forever consider his and Rachel's son. That was something not even Jack can take away from him. Their precious gift from the heavens. With that thought, he turned back and continued his way back to his wife as she slept off her exhaustion from childbirth, completely ignorant to what had happened while she lay unconscious to the world.

If Xai had only just waited a minute longer, he would have heard the baby he had just placed at the church's main entrance whimper and stir for the first time since the womb. In the morning, the old nun who lived in the church will hear his tiny cries coming from outside the front door. A month later, the abandoned Vessalius child would be adopted by a white haired traveler, who happened to passing by and became attached to the boy. Deciding to take his new son back to his homeland, the boy would be uncreatively dubbed "Namikaze Minato" by said hermit, who had spent a whole day brainstorming proper names before taking inspiration from the harbor he was at while waiting for the ship taking the father and son back home to take off.

* * *

II. The Box Opens

 _…I don't want to think about this possibility but the Oz we know might not be the real Oz Vessalius!_

A young auburn-haired girl clutched the door handle with a white-knuckled grip. Her petite frame was stiff with shock. Her other free hand was clenched with a fistful of fabric as she held the material of her lovely dress tightly as if to stabilize herself from the newfound disturbance.

"I-Is that…true? Sir Oz isn't really…Oz." Sharon said as she cautiously peered at Xerxes and Sheryl from the doorway, her eyes still wide with shock. Sharon had just left her grandmother's study and was planning on meeting up with Oz and the others until she suddenly remembered that she had almost forgotten that she wanted to discuss something private with the elderly Duchess. She quickly made her way back and happened to overhear their retainer and the Rainsworth Duchess discussing the inconsistencies with Oz's birth. After hearing all of that, Sharon couldn't help but think of how devastated Oz would be if he found out. Come to think of it, does Gilbert even know as well? How will Alice react once she realizes her contractor isn't who he says he is? What went through Oscar's head as he found out that Oz wasn't really his nephew but a child switched at birth?

Both the duchess and the manservant were taken aback at Sharon's appearance. They didn't expect the girl to turn back to Sheryl's office and stumble upon Xerxes reporting to the Rainsworth Matriarch.

The white-haired contractor of Mad Hatter sighed in exasperation. "Oh dear, it looks like our little kitten has found something that caught her fancy." Curiosity killed the cat indeed. Knowing Sharon, she wouldn't be able to hide this sort of information from Oz even if she wanted to. If Oz didn't pick up something was wrong with Sharon, Gilbert or Alice will. Don't get him wrong. Sharon is very trustworthy woman. Otherwise she wouldn't be a contractor of Equus and a member of the Pandora Organization. It's just that she tends to let her emotions get the better of her, especially when it involves the people close to her. Because of that, Xerxes tries to shelter the girl as much as possible and not get her involved in such situations.

"Hu hu hu. Well, Xer, I don't see a problem in letting my granddaughter know about Oscar's discovery. As a member of Pandora and a friend to Young Oz, she derserves to know. Besides, now that my little Sharon knows we can't expect her to go back to being ignorant when she's already come so far. Not only that, but I believe Young Oz deserves to know as well. It's only right to tell him since it is about him." Sheryl said to Xerxes.

The white-haired Rainsworth servant scratched his head in thought. "…Very well then, I suppose I'll have to tell my little minions the good news. After all, she may be the one who found out, but it'll be a lot easier if this old man tells them than Milady. This way they can take their anger out at me if they want." Guess it looks like he was going to have to prepare himself for the inevitable explosion.

"Good luck, Xer. And don't forget to-"

"No, wait!" Sharon interrupted, causing the two to pause at their discussion and turn their attention back to her. "Oh…I mean…let me tell them myself… After all, it's my fault that I found out so I should take responsibility of my actions... Besides I'm not a child anymore. I can't let Break do everything for me, so if I'm to become stronger then I must start acting like it now. I am the heiress of the Dukedom of Rainsworth. Daughter of Shelly Rainsworth and granddaughter of Duchess Sheryl Rainsworth!" Sharon's little speech started off small before her voice gradually evolved from a nervous little girl into a capable young woman with every syllable. "Now more than ever, I should start becoming a proud lady of Rainsworth rather than just saying I am one! I won't allow any failures happening because of me so I won't cause any more disappoint in Pandora! And most of all, I won't let my family down! I won't let my friends down! And above all else, I won't let Xerxes down!"

It was at that moment Xerxes had saw something about Sharon that he never realized before. "Sharon-chan, you've gone and become such a wonderful lady." He heard Sheryl said as if voicing out his thoughts. "It seems like only yesterday when you and your mother would play in the gardens. She would've been so proud of you if she could see you now." He couldn't help but agree with that. Sharon was so young when they first met. When he came to after being thrown from the heart of the Abyss, the first things he saw were the faces of the two people who would eventually be his beloved companions. Sharon, at the time, was just a child. As their relationship grew, she began calling him her "Big Brother Xerxes." When had they reached the point in their bond where they eventually grew past their familial feelings and became something closer than they should be? Oddly enough, he found himself not caring in the slightest about the repercussions it might cause.

The elderly grandparent in the room smiled as she witnessed Xerxes' realization. She herself had seen the signs appear as Sharon grew older. From the looks of it, the pair had become aware of their newfound dynamic just recently. After everything, Xerxes went through, he deserves all the happiness that comes his way. Even Sharon deserves to have a deserving partner by her side, not as a protector but also as a lifelong partner. Speaking of the Rainsworth heiress. "By the way, Sharon dear, why were you eavesdropping? A lady shouldn't do something so improper. You are not a nosy maid." The Rainsworth matriarch gently scolded her granddaughter.

Said lady immediately jumped as if startled. Like a child caught with their hand in a cookie jar, embarrassment filled her as she mentally fretted over such a disgraceful act. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Grandmother! I wanted to talk to you about…um…about…well…uhh…" Sharon trailed off nervously as she stole glances at Xerxes. Her cheeks gradually turning redder with each passing second as she wordlessly tried to convey her unspoken message to her grandmother.

Realizing what her granddaughter wanted, the elderly woman turned towards the faithful servant beside her to address him. "Xer, why don't you go on and find Liem? I'm sure he wouldn't mind spending time with you."

"Alright then. I'll go see myself out. Do have fun with your little girl talk, Madame and Milady." Xerxes made his way from Sheryl's desk area and walked out Sheryl's office. As he closed the doors behind him, his mind was whirling. The man leaned back against the hard wood as he was consumed with his thoughts about Sharon. 'She's right. Milady Sharon's become a strong young woman now.' Xerxes thought. 'She was always there beside me, but it's hard to believe that it took me just now to realize that. I suppose I should tell her about my blindness soon. After all, I can't let myself stay stagnant and be satisfied with my current strength. Sharon isn't the only one that needs to get. What use is being a princess' knight if he's not able to be by her side? Now…time to troll the heck out of Liem~.' The contractor of Mad Hatter then removed himself from the door and skipped off to hunt for a certain March Hare.

III: Strings of Fate

* * *

It was after Oscar's tea party that Sharon took Oz, Gilbert, and Alice aside into an empty room at Pandora Headquarters and broke the news to her friends. It seemed almost cruel to Sharon. Not even an hour has passed since that happy picture was taken with the camera. Now she was about to ruin what happy memories the people in front of her had associated with today.

"Sir Oz, Sir Gilbert, Miss Alice. I need to tell all of you something important." Those innocent words had never seemed so ominous. "I'm afraid that… it might change things completely. It involves you, Sir Oz… I'm so sorry."

 **U(•** **ㅅ** **•** **)U**

Oz was stunned by the news. No, stunned was too weak a word to describe the turmoil of feelings devouring every inch of his being. His entire perspective of the world was crumbling to pieces before his eyes. He was pretty sure there can't be anything more earth-shattering than this. The more he thought about it, the more everything made sense. Fath-no Xai Vessalius had always made it clear he never wanted Oz in the first place. That's why he never acknowledged Oz as his son. That's why whenever he looked at him it was always with a deep-seated loathing in his eyes. In the end, he was the walking proof of the child that was supposed to be was not there where he should be. A watered-down replacement. A mere placeholder for the true son of Xai Vessalius and Rachel Cecile. Oz recalled when the Baskervilles interrupted his Coming of Age Ceremony. _Your sin is…your very existence!_ Was this the "sin" they meant? That his whole life was a lie?

"…I don't care." Alice's words snapped Oz out of his shock. Everyone turned their attention to the girl in the room. "So what? Oz was switched at birth. Adoption doesn't change the fact that Oz is still Oz. Why should it even matter to us?" Honestly, Oz could be a rabbit doll in disguise for all she cared. What matters is that her manservant was still the same boy she met back in the depths of the Abyss and formed a contract with. This doesn't change her feelings for Oz in the slightest.

Apparently, Alice's confident conclusion was what Gilbert needed to make up his mind. Snapping out of his shock, the Raven immediately allowed himself to voice his feelings on the matter and replied, "The rabbit's right. No matter what, you're still my young master, Oz. If anything, it's Xai who has to explain everything, not you. You're not the one at fault here, Oz."

Oz wanted to run away at this point. He wanted hide away somewhere where no one could see and then collapse into himself in tears. However all he did was allow himself to bury his face into his hands and let loose the avalanche of emotions flow freely from him. Despite the emotional breakdown he was feeling on the inside, somehow he found the strength in himself to remain standing where he should, not caring in the slightest that there were people who can see him at his weakest. Never before had he felt so grateful of existing up until this point. He really did have the greatest friends he could ever ask for. However, that doesn't change the fact that he felt he had been taking their relationships for granted. After all, most people would have abandoned him the moment they knew he wasn't who they thought he was. But that didn't happen. Gilbert was still here beside him. Alice didn't give a damn on who he was. Sharon cared enough about to come clean on what she found. Xerxes and Uncle Oscar didn't treat him any differently if the way they acted around him during the tea party meant anything. You couldn't even tell that they had discovered a case of false identity involving someone they knew on their hands.

He felt a weight at his side. Taking his head from his hands, he turned towards the source with his blurry green eyes, he saw that Alice had leaned into him as a silent show of her support. She had a stubborn look on her face as if daring anyone to pull her away from her contractor when he needed her the most. Oz then felt a large hand on his head. He didn't need to look up to tell that it was Gilbert ruffling his already messy golden blonde hair. No doubt the contractor of Raven had that soft look in his golden eyes that he reserved only for Oz.

Meanwhile, Sharon Rainsworth was smiling fondly at the trio. Her pink eyes shone brightly with happiness as she took in the scene in front of her. The scene looked like something out of her many books she loved to read. While it wasn't romantic in nature, there was a show of solidarity and the firm establishment on where they stood on their relationship. As a veteran reader, this meant a closer bond and a potential to grow even closer by allowing the ties that connect them to change into something new and strong. She always loved happy endings, especially when the subjects she was rooting for head towards the direction she hoped for. She was looking forward to see how things play out between the three of them in the future. All in all, the heiress of Rainsworth prayed with all her heart that the three will reach the epilogue they worked and struggled for.

 **U(•** **ㅅ** **•** **)U**

Although Xai's actions towards Oz explains everything, it also brought in more questions than answers. Why were Oz and Xai's son switched in the first place? What was there for Xai to gain from replacing his biological child with a different child? Was it because he was the so-called reincarnation of Jack Vessalius? Did he want to take advantage of Oz's connection with Jack to further some unknown goal? If so, why would he hate Oz so much? Wouldn't it be better for him to treat Oz differently rather than alienate the boy? Did Xai even want to replace his own flesh and blood with a stand-in the first place? Or is there another force that they didn't take into account that's the cause of all this? Or perhaps some elaborate, sinister plot that Xai got himself involved in? Was Oz even related to the Vessalius Family in the first place? Since he looks like a traditional member of the Vessalius Family anyways, was he some sort of illegitimate child from another obscure member or perhaps a result of an affair?

With these questions in mind, the most important question of all ran through the minds of practically everyone involved in this mystery, where did the child that was supposed to be the real "Oz Vessalius" go?

* * *

 **AN: Before anyone asks, I am revising all the chapters because after rereading through it while fixing up all grammar and punctuation mistakes with my brother, I cringed at all the holes and lack of build up. As a result, updates may take longer, but hopefully the end results will be worth it.**

 **In regards the lack of honorifics used in this fic, I am taking some creative liberty so I can establish a difference between the Elemental Nations and the country Pandora Hearts is set in. If the Elemental Nations in Naruto is based off of Japanese culture, I will be doing the same for PH. Despite the country PH is set in isn't very clear in the PH canon, we do know it's clearly European and is based off of the Victorian Era time period. So I have some idea of how the world looks like in this story. Besides if you take a look at the world map of Naruto, doesn't it look like the Eastern half of our world? So where's the Western half? That's where PH comes in. Also please don't judge me too harshly if I'm missing anything. I really appreciate it if you just point things out for me to make this story better.**

 **By the way, this story is also cross-posted on Ao3 by the same name. Please check my profile for more details.**

 **But anyways, thanks for reading this, and please leave behind constructive criticism. (●≧ω≦)9**

Edited: 4/30/2017


	2. Acts IV-VI

**Disclaimer: If I really owned any of these franchises, then these series' endings would change.**

* * *

IV. Pessimism

"Are we done now?" Alice whined in exhaustion. Can you blame her if you were in her position? She was tired, hungry, and at the end of her rope. "Hey, Seaweed Head, don't you dare ignore me?! Answer me!" Gilbert just ignored her and continued interviewing an old man.

The day after they found out about Oz, he suddenly announced during breakfast that he wanted to go find the lost son of Xai Vessalius. He wanted closure and to find out what had happened to the abandoned child. While Pandora can't help without tipping off Xai or expose Oz's existence, Oscar was more than happy to hand over what information he found over to his nephew. Of all the various documentations, it was a copy of an excerpt from Xai's journal that was most helpful. While it was the only mention of the day Oz was "born," Oz found out that the boy they are looking for was a stillborn, but Xai still named him. That was all there is. There were no other mentions in the later entries, according to Oscar. Call it a gut feeling, but Oz felt that there was more to it than just what Xai had written. Now it was up to them to look for clues on what went on that night.

Of course, that was five days ago and still no results or progress. They have already checked out practically every church, residence, and orphanage within ten kilometers of Vessalius property. Gil and Oz were going around asking if anyone had seen Xai going somewhere late at night. They have no new leads to follow and it seemed the situation was hopeless.

"I know we've been at this for a while now, but it's too early to give up now." Oz said as he thanked the old man for his time. He would be the tenth person they've spoken to today, and it was already past noon. "Sorry about this, Alice. Can we ask one more person before we get something to eat? I'm feeling pretty hungry myself."

"Sure, sounds good. After all, as my manservant, you're not supposed to leave me out of things." Alice quipped with a cocky smirk.

"…Hey, I've been thinking. What if we can't find anything? What will we do then, Oz?" As much as he wants to stay optimistic, Gilbert can't help but feel like they're sent on a wild goose chase. After all, Xai wasn't a stupid man. For all they know, he could have already erased his son's existence long before Pandora started digging.

Oz looked down at the ground, deep in thought. He knew this was a big gamble, but this could be a chance to figure out the "sin of his existence". Although it may be a hopeless endeavor, this was the closest he could get to getting answers on what happened during his Coming of Age Ceremony.

"…Um…excuse me… you people are the ones asking for someone…am I right?"

* * *

V. Light at the End

"…Are you looking for a Miss Clara Hopkins?" The speaker was a young woman. She was a timid looking thing and looked she could belong in a library by her appearance. "…That is…um… I could tell you about her… if you want… You see… I'm her niece… Aunt Clara left me a few things before she died… I can bring them over so you can take a look…" She trailed off and began fidgeting nervously. The trio were looking at her with wide eyes like they've never seen anyone like her. And were those tears or is it just the light of the sun?

"A GODDESS! I'M IN THE PRESENCE OF A GODDESS!"

"Miss, if you could please follow us to this café? We'd love to hear what you say."

"Why didn't say so earlier?! Tell us everything you know, right now!"

"KYYYYYAAAA!"

 **U(•ㅅ•** **)U**

This was the best news they've heard since they've started. After so long, they never thought they would be as fortunate as having a new lead practically dropped on their laps at a time like this. The small group was currently seated in a restaurant a block from where they were. The woman introduced herself as Maybelle. Niece of a deceased nun who Xerxes was able to narrow down to one of the last people to see the missing Vessalius child. The problem was the woman seemed to have disappeared off the face of the earth after the old church she had worked and resided in was torn down and was later renovated into a park. Hence why the past two days they've been asking the people living around where the church used to be.

Maybelle later explained that her aunt died shortly before her church was destroyed. In her will, she gave Maybelle what little the church had. But Oz and his friends weren't interested in the religious keepsakes. Turns out, Maybelle had the sense to not throw away all the documents the former church once held.

"Some of them just seemed so important. Marriages, christenings, confessions, adoptions. I figured I'd keep these records around in case anyone who's interested comes for them. I was already planning on turning them over to city hall until you showed up. I'm so glad I was able to be of use to you." Maybelle said to them the next evening when they met up again to collect the aging box of documents from her.

It took another three days for them to go over them even with Xerxes, Riem, and Sharon joining in. Eventually, it was Alice found who found something. An old photograph of a white haired foreigner with odd clothing and red tracks down his face holding an infant with bright blond hair. And with it, an adoption paper with the name "Jiraiya" as the new thirty-year-old father to an unnamed baby boy.

* * *

VI. Preparation

"Are our clothes packed?"

"Yes."

"Documents and papers?"

"Yes."

"All our passports?"

"Same compartment as the paperwork."

"Camping equipment?"

"Separate bag."

"Extra rations?"

"Enough to feed Alice ten times over."

"Money?"

"You have it."

"The rabbit?"

"Of cou-"

"HEY, I'M NOT LUGGAGE, DAMMIT!"

* * *

 **AN: I AM FEELING GREAT! IT'S SPRING BREAK FOR ME, SO IMMA WORK AT THIS FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG! And before I forget, I would like to thank the people who've subscribed to this story. Also, shout out to** The Rupture **for taking the comment virginity. I really appreciate your review! It made my heart soar~**

 **But anyways, thanks for reading this, and please leave behind constructive criticism. (┛✧Д✧))┛** **彡┻━┻**


	3. Acts VII-IX

**Disclaimer: Seeing as how some of my ships are at the bottom next to the Titanic, ownership's not happening very soon.**

* * *

VII. If Three's A Crowd, How Many Is This?

The journey to the Elemental Nations can be summed up with only one word: stress. That was what one Riem Lunettes thought within a week on the ship heading towards the country. The route to the isolated continent was long so stops along the way were mandatory for refueling and replenishing dwindling supplies and necessities. Besides him, there were Oz Vessalius, Gilbert Nightray, Alice, Sharon Rainsworth, and Xerxes Break on the quest to find the elusive "Michael Vessalius" as everyone's taken to calling the missing member of the family.

It's understandable that Oz, Gilbert, and Alice to be on the boat, but the Pandora Organization wasn't comfortable letting Oz, the bearer of Jack Vessalius' soul, run around in a foreign country, even with Raven and the B-Rabbit by his side. Which was where Riem came in, even if it was mostly Rufus wanting him to gather information about the country they were heading to. As it turns out, Xerxes caught wind of where they were going and cheerfully invited himself into the group, followed by Sharon, who refused to let her friends leave her behind. (Not that anyone can persuade her out of her decision when she's threatening them with her family's signature harisen.) Frankly, Riem was surprised they were allowed to go in the first place.

Then again it could help that Riem's master, Lord Rufus Barma, was the one funding the entire journey. He was pretty sure it was because of Duchess Sheryl's influence, something about "enriching her granddaughter's knowledge of the world outside her native country." Needless to say, Rufus was all for it. Using his connections, he gotten hired a captain and his crew to take them to their destination. His actions wasn't surprising to many, given how head-over-heels he was in his undying love for the Rainsworth Matriarch.

Now here they are. So far Riem counted three instances of finding Xerxes in various questionable locations, ten different men hitting on either Sharon or Alice, fourteen violent outbreaks from the males within the groups afterwards, two times the ship's chefs came to him begging to rein in Alice's monstrous appetite, that one time Sharon somehow gotten the whole crew kissing her shoes calling her their mistress and five times Oz of all people caused mental, physical, and emotional trauma to his victims due to them doing something to offend either Gilbert or Alice to his knowledge. (After the latter, Riem was wondering if Oz was one of those rumored "yanderes" he's heard about from Lord Barma.)

To be honest, for all his saint-like patience and ability to put up with a lot, Riem can't wait until they reached the Elemental Nations.

* * *

VIII. Culture Shock

Jiraiya was enjoying his time in Shukuba Town. He was currently staying at this lovely inn that had a hot spring in the back. He really came at the right time because it was currently rush hour in the area as all the fine ladies were dropping in to enjoy the hot water. Giggling like a little girl, his eyes devoured the glorious sight the peephole in the fence separating the two sexes presented.

"Alice-san, wait! You have to wash yourself first before you go in!" _Eh, a foreigner? Arisu is an odd name though._

"But it's a bath, right? I can wash while I'm in the water." _Clueless tourists then. But what are foreigners doing in the Elemental Nations._

"Oh, Alice-san. I guess you've forgotten everything Riem-san told you. Come, why don't you let your Sharon-onee-sama wash your back for you?"

"I can handle washing by myself. I don't-"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…S-Sharon-o-onee-sama. Will you h-help me w-wash my back…p-please?" _What is going on over there?!_

"Why, of course I will, Alice-san~"

 _Huh, you'd think if they are gonna travel to another country, they'd brush up on the local customs at the least. Otherwise you'll be sticking out like a sore thumb. Those two are bound to catch the wrong attention especially if they are amateurs at spying. Now back to my research~. The blonde on the right has a nice big ass and the redhead lounging on the rocks isn't too shy about what she's got from the way she stretching. Just the way I like 'em. Yessiree the beautiful women of Shukuba ain't got nothing on- WHOA, WHAT A SIGHT! I TAKE BACK EVERYTHING I'VE SAID ABOUT THESE FINE LADIES! THEY MAY BE FOREIGNERS AND A BIT ON THE YOUNG SIDE, BUT DAMN, LOOK AT THE CURVES ON THEM! THE HIPS ON THE LONG HAIRED BRUNETTE! AND THE MELONS ON THE ORANGE HAIRED ONE ARE AMAZING! ALL NICE AND BIG AND PERKY! MAYBE IF I AGE THEM UP ANOTHER TEN YEARS THEY COULD BE THE STARS OF MY NEXT ICHA ICHA VOLUME-_

" **What. In. The. Name. Of. The. Abyss. Are. You. Doing?** "

Spinning around in shock, Jiraiya turned to face the small figure of an angry fifteen-year-old youth clad in a towel in front of him. He had golden blond hair that had various strands that stuck out here and there but still remain somewhat neat and sported a furious bloodthirsty expression on his face no ordinary teenager should possess. But what caught his Jiraiya's attention were his eyes. They were a blood red color and slitted like that of a demon's…

Wait, where did that scythe come from?

IX. Azaleas in Black Vases

This was the scene all the residents of Shukuba town were currently seeing. Poor Riem was running around the town trying to catch up to Oz and Xerxes as they chased down the unfortunate victim of their murderous ire. Even though it may be a futile effort, he still wanted to try and talk them out of committing murder in a foreign land. (OZ-SAMA, XERXES! THINK OF THE POLITCAL FALLOUT THAT COULD COME FROM THIS! PLEASE BEHAVE AND-FOR THE LOVE OF THE ABYSS! PUT THAT THING AWAY, OZ-SAMA!) Oz with B-Rabbit's scythe fully manifested and gleaming with a dark malevolent aura not unlike what its wielder was emitting as he hunted for the white haired pervert who saw Alice's nudity. Xerxes was showing no mercy to Jiraiya. He may be blind, but that didn't stop him from chasing down the defiler of his lady's honor with his chain, Mad Hatter, looming over them. Gilbert, on the other hand, was more than happy to lend a hand to the duo once he saw what they were doing. Only because of Oz and also because as a gentleman, his pride and upbringing can't allow that sexual deviant to live any longer.

Now how did things become this way again? Let's recap what happened in the last hour.

Jiraiya had never felt so screwed in his fifty years of existence. Here he was enjoying his research and then this blonde gaki interrupted his day WITH HIS FREAKING SCYTHE AIMING AT HIS POOR "KUNAI." The two ended up creating a hole in the wall of the inn and took their conflict out into the streets, not even pausing to get dressed as they left behind a trail of destruction in their wake.

From Xerxes' perspective, it was supposed to be a relaxing break from their search for Michael Vessalius. Sharon was fascinated by the idea of a hot springs inn Riem told them about while on the boat and wanted to try one for herself. In the end, he figured it would be an enlightening experience for the group and they checked in at a popular one. Shortly after getting to their rooms, Sharon immediately dragged Alice out for some "girl time" leaving their men behind to go at their own pace. Gilbert went out to look for a store to replenish his supply of cigarettes while Oz headed towards where Alice and Sharon were after unpacking, just as excited to see why the natives were so fond of heated outdoor baths. Xerxes, on the hand, went out planning to explore the quaint town some time after.

At least that was what he planned to until he came across a particular scene.

A raging Alice clad in merely towel, trying to run out from a destroyed section of the inn's walls only to be stopped by an equally dressed Sharon holding her back. Just by her voice alone, she was in emotional distress and was struggling to contain it.

"OZ! AS MY MANSERVANT, I DEMAND THAT YOU BRING BACK THAT FILTHY DEGENERATE'S HEAD!"

"Ojou-sama, may I ask what just happened here?" Xerxes asked as he approached the Rainsworth heiress. Taking off his jacket, he placed it on Sharon's shoulders so she could maintain some decency.

"X-Xerxes!" Sharon snapped out of her shock and let Alice go to cling to the one-eyed man. "T-There was a man. He was… Oz is chasing him down… and… Oh Abyss!" Sharon then dissolved into tears into his chest.

A wave of murderous intent flooded the area as it came from the presence of the white haired man comforting the poor distraut girl in his arms. Nearby people stopped what they were doing and stared at him in horror, even Alice paused at her tracks to see what Xerxes would do next.

"Ku ku ku…Sharon dear…"

"Xerxes?" Sharon questioned with a small voice. She felt him remove himself from her before placing his doll, Emily into her arms.

"Emily will guard you. Oh Alice-chan, be a good girl and just stay put. **I'll take care of everything.** " And with that, with an aura like an unhinged serial killer out to catch his next target, Xerxes disappeared out the hole in the wall. Not before the civilians looking in saw what looked like a large fancy looking hat with a visible foreboding air slowly manifesting above the man.

"Amazing." Alice breathed, causing everyone except Sharon to look at her incredibly. "Who knew that clown can be so scary, right? For a second there, I thought he was going snap and kill everyone here."

Sharon let out a choked giggled as she held Emily tighter to her chest. "Break used to be the Red-Eyed Ghost. But he's been better since then."

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 **AN: I have created a poll on my profile. I'm kinda stuck on something so it's up to you to choose how the story goes. Don't know how long I'm gonna keep it up though. Maybe for another chapter or two. Also I realized while I was going over my chapters there were some grammar and spelling mistakes so I fixed that. Also while researching, I've been referring Riem as "Liem," which was incorrect, so I fixed that as well.**

 **But anyways, thanks for reading this, and please leave behind constructive criticism.** (っ￣∇￣)っ


	4. Acts X-XII

**Disclaimer: If I had any say in anything, I want a revamp of the Pandora Hearts anime. Am I the only one disappointed by it, especially after the manga?**

 **IMPORTANT NOTICE! I think I should have done this from the beginning, but from this point on there will be implied!shonen-ai. And it's gonna get worst from then on. So if anyone of you are allergic to that stuff, see that little x on the upper right-hand corner. Do me a favor and click that if you're so afraid of getting "infected" with dat delicious yaoi-ness. Thank you very much~**

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X. White Camellias and Stained Black Lilies

They were lucky. Very, very lucky.

When the group had first set foot onto Fire Country of the Elemental Nations, they had learned from the locals all about the shinobi, the Hidden Villages, Konohagakure and its Hokage, and of course the Sannin. The latter of which being the most important since the person they were looking for was such an infamous person. Riem had imagined Jiraiya the Toad Sage as a powerful, honorable warrior whose personality was more or less similar to his lord, Rufus Barma if the rumors of him being Konoha's spymaster are correct. Then again it's only fitting that someone like Michael Vessalius, a descendent of Jack Vessalius, deserved to be adopted by no one less grand than a legendary shinobi whose name and accomplishments are known throughout the nations.

Little did he know how soul crushingly disappointed he would be when his expectations disintegrated like Xerxes using Mad Hatter at a target.

At some point while during the chase, Riem had recognized the "degenerate" as the same man in the photo. It was a stroke of luck that they had stumbled upon the person they were looking for in the first town they stopped at in the middle of their investigation. Horror filled him when he realized the additional implications on top of the problems they would already face if they succeeded in murdering Jiraiya. Riem's frantic begging quickly changed its tune. Now he was focused on keeping Jiraiya alive long enough to get what they want out of him.

Looking back, he would wonder what sort of higher power was looking over the Sannin's Toad Sage. No mortal man should survive the aftermath of the wrath of Oz Vessalius and Xerxes Break.

XI. The Sage and the Box

"I, Riem Lunettes, valet of the Dukedom of Barma, servant of Duke Rufus Barma, would like to express my upmost apologies for our grievous injuries to your person on behalf of my companions, Jiraiya of the Sannin, shinobi of Konohagakure." Jiraiya simply looked at the man kneeling on the floor weirdly. After Oz, Xerxes, and Gilbert got their pound of flesh from him and calmed down enough to get back to the girls, Riem took the opportunity to dragged him to their rooms and patch him up. He figured since they would be interrogating him later anyways he might as well break the ice while their target was recovering.

Jiraiya was currently lying on a bed at the same inn the foreigner group checked in, practically mummified in bandages, and a bit bilwildered. Usually after he was beaten up (often at the hands of the lovely enraged ladies he was doing his "research" on), the most anyone said afterwards was somewhere along the lines of "filthy pervert", "you had that one coming", or even a "how did you survive that". Not that this wasn't a welcoming change of pace.

He quickly snapped out of his thoughts. "Well, finally! Someone with manners! And to top it all off, someone who realizes the greatness that is Jiraiya! Coming straight from the mountains, the man whose face soothes crying infants, the ultimate heartbreaker who seduces any woman by a mere gaze! Tis I, The Great Hermit himself! JIRAIYA!" As if he was magically healed n the spot, Jiraiya sprang from the bandage cocoon and to Riem's shock, began what he guessed was a dance as he "introduces" himself and then finishing off with a pose (though he wasn't sure if it was made up or one of the traditional dances of the nation, but he figured it was most likely a former). There was a pregnant pause between them as Riem finally regain his senses.

"Ahem…um, thank you very much for the introduction, Jiraiya-sama. Seeing as you are feeling better now, shall I introduce you to the rest of my companions? You see, despite initially… uh, going off on the wrong foot, we were looking for you. N-Not for any malicious purpose or anything! We need information that only you have that we know of."

Now Jiraiya was suspicious. What would foreigners want with his information? Him of all people. Did they send this group to scope out Konohagakure? Was their country planning an attacking the Elemental Nations? Or perhaps this is a ruse to catch him off guard? This isn't the first time his enemies tried the "helpless civilian" tactic to get to him. Often they would disguise themselves as a random person in need of a nearby shinobi who just happened to be him passing by. The question is, should he play along for now or just kill them all and be done with it?

"And what kind of information is it that you seek? Depending on what you want to know, I may or may not tell you. Keep in mind, I won't hesitate to eliminate you and your friends on the spot if this is a trick. **That is your only warning**." For added measure, he let loose a tiny bit of killing intent to gauge how strong this "Riem Lunettes" (if that's even his name) might be. Apparently not much since he was practically unconscious and foaming at the mouth before the last syllable was finished.

After Riem finally collapsed in a feint, Jiraiya took the opportunity to examine his host. Nothing with him but the clothes on his back and a pair of glasses. They were all of high quality, suggesting a wealthy lifestyle. He even wasn't carrying a single weapon with him. If he was really dealing with an assassin or enemy shinobi, then this one must be an amateur to go without any protection. Right now, he was severely doubting he was dealing with enemy nin. During the chase, he noted none of the members of the group moved like a shinobi. Time and time again, he was able to lose them using Academy level escape jutsus, which normally wouldn't fool anyone above genin but they're more than enough to deal with civilians. The only reason they keep catching him was that weird hat summon of the albino. From the looks of it, it serves as a third eye for the man, and having the thing looking out over the town makes escaping them even harder. If he had to judge then based on fighting ability, the only ones noteworthy would be the albino man and the man in the black coat. The two are no strangers to confrontations yet they don't showcase even an ounce of shinobi conditioning. Then there's the boy with the scythe. His unpredictable and wild use of his weapon earlier showed that he does possess some experience; he doesn't seem to possess as much control over himself as the older members of his group. Now what should he do now? Should he hear them out of should he try and get away while their backs are turned?

A groan sounded from Riem as he began to rouse. Jiraiya sighed as he made his decision. He might as well fulfill his curiosity about the group. For one thing, their abilities and summon were nothing he'd ever seen before. Who knows, the Hokage might be interested in this new development.

* * *

XII. The Wave's Maestrom

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage of Konoha, was reading Jiraiya's latest report. During his investigations on Orochimaru's activities, he came across a group of foreigners from outside the continent wielding an unknown power. Three of the members were heirs to their respective clans with two bodyguards, and a summon in a form a young girl who belonged to the younger of one of the male heirs. According to what Jiraiya can get from the group, their summons all have a unique ability that is unlike anything that is ever seen in the shinobi world. In addition of having access to those abilities, upon gaining your summon the users physical aging is halting, thereby granting the wielder everlasting youth until their deaths.

Oz Vessalius. Heir to the Vessalius clan. Age: 25 (chronologically) 15 (physically). Wielder of the summon, "B-Rabbit", which abilities manifests as a crimson scythe but otherwise is in the form of an adolescent girl. In that form, it goes by the name, "Alice". The summon's main ability is manifesting a large scythe capable of destroying almost anything into sand with a swing. For the most part, the boy is cheerful and friendly. However, if you threaten his summon, his personality completely changes to that of something more vicious.

Gilbert Nightray. Adopted member of the Nightray clan. Age: 24. Weilder of the summon, "Raven", whose manifested form is not shown but its effect can be seen. The summon has the ability to seal other summons, thereby negating it and forcing them into standby. When it comes to personality, the man is a serious and stoic individual. However, he does appear to have an unquestionable loyalty to Oz-sama and is much more caring than one would think.

Alice. The summon, "B-Rabbit". It is unknown whether or not the form "she" takes is a part of her stand-by mode. It's possible that while she is "human", the power Oz-sama can wield is limited. In that form, "she" has a personality of an abrasive tomboy with a large appetite. Jiraiya theorizes that "her" gluttony for food (particularly meat) means that "her" power may take up a lot of energy so "she" eats in large amounts to compensate for "her" master.

Sharon Rainsworth. Heiress to the Rainsworth clan. Age: 23 (chronologically) 15 (physically). With her mannerisms and politeness, she is a gentle and sweet young lady. At first glance, she resembles that of a delicate woman of nobility by her looks and dress. However, she hides a more frightening side you wouldn't think she had. When her ire is aroused, Jiraiya notes that she somehow brings out a harisen from somewhere and proceeds to beat her target with it. Whether or not this is actually a hidden summon ability is unknown. Just that it's a force to reckon with.

Xerxes Break. Age: 39 (chronologically) 24 (physically). Wielder of the summon, "Mad Hatter", which manifests as a large red eye wearing an ornate hat accompanied with a cape. The summon's main ability is allowing its blind user to "see", thus allowing the man to overcome his handicap in battle. In regards to his personality, Xerxes-san is eccentric, mischievous, and apparently not very well-liked at first glance. Oddly enough, he keeps a small doll perched on his shoulder which speaks through ventriloquism; though Jiraiya swears the doll seemed almost sentient at times. He hypothesized the doll named "Emily" is the stand-by form of his "Mad Hatter" summon, not unlike that of "Alice" though he has yet to confirm his findings.

Riem Lunettes. Age: 26. Servant of the Barma clan. His personality is nervous yet polite. He serves as the group's representative as he is the most knowledgeable and well-versed in the Elemental Nations' customs, allowing him to navigate his companions through their society easily.

In regards to the dynamics of the foreigners, all of them are familiar to each other and consider themselves as friends to each other. However, Jiraiya notes that Oz-sama has romantic feelings for "Alice". In addition, he observes that Gilbert-sama's devotion borderlines obsessive to the point whether or not his "loyalty" is mistaken for love. He also questions whether or not Gilbert-sama is even aware of his feelings towards Oz-sama. Despite the love triangle, it's noted that Gilbert-sama and "Alice" do not get along very well and are often arguing about something, usually over Oz-sama. But there is a degree of fondness towards one another. Then there's Xerxes-san himself. Although he refers to himself as Sharon-sama's servant, his relationship with her is closer than that of a master-servant bond, suggesting a forbidden romance between the two. He also refers Gilbert-sama, Oz-sama, and "Alice" as his "subordinates", much to their complaints though it is possible he is joking. During his observations, Jiraiya say that there is an underlying tone of concern for the man from his fellow foreigners. Apparently, he is suffering from an incurable illness mostly caused by his summon as using it takes a toll on his body. Riem-san, on the other hand, is confirmed to be a trustworthy friend to all of the foreigners. Even Oz-sama quoted, "If there's anyone who can put up with Break, it's Riem-san. That's why he so dependable because his patience is godlike."

Since the aftermath of the Hyuuga Incident, Hiruzen was feeling stressed in dealing with the situation. And not just him, the entire village in on edge as suspicion was at an all time high. Perhaps having the foreigners in the village is just the distraction they need. Knowing the civilian council, they would be demanding to know everything there is about the foreigners' "summons." After all, the ability to manifest weapons that turn anything it touches into sand, the ability to let the blind see again, and being able to seal those abilities is bound to catch their attention. But before the council can even see them, Hiruzen must meet them over a certain discovery that caught his attention. If what these people are claiming about this "Michael Vessalius" is true, then Hiruzen can allow himself to hope. Maybe not for "Michael" but his for son.

* * *

 **AN: Another chapter done, another chapter to go. This chapter is longer than I intended to be. The confrontation is up next. Hopefully, I can get Naruto to appear soon. Also, please remember to review because I would really like your feedback on how I did on this story so far. And don't forget to vote please. I'm keeping it up until I finally write out the scene so until then your vote does count.**

 **But anyways, thanks for reading this, and please leave behind constructive criticism.** ヽ((◎д◎ ))ゝ

 **Edited: 3/28/17**


	5. Acts XIII-XV

**Disclaimer: If I had owned any of these franchises then I wouldn't be writing fanfiction.**

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XIII. Hell Hath No Fury

Today is the New Year's Festival. Three year old Naruto Uzumaki couldn't be any more excited. He had managed to sneak out of the orphanage underneath the matron's watch so he could join in on the fun. He never did understand why he was locked in his room during certain times a year. However, he did put it together that it was always when people are celebrating outside. Last year when he complained how the mean matron always kept him while she takes everyone else out, Hokage-jiji came straight to the orphanage looking very scary. He then ordered Naruto to go to his room and read the new scroll he brought for him while he and the matron had the "grown-up talk". In his room, he heard yelling coming from both Hokage-jiji and the matron before everything slowly went quiet. After a while, Hokage-jiji came into his room looking both sad and angry. He told Naruto that from now on he had to be good and stay in his room, and in return, Hokage-jiji will make it up to him by spending more time with him. He also noticed that things around the orphanage had changed since then. He had more food now even if he had to eat alone in his room which was a welcoming change when before he only had a glass of water and a piece of bread. The matron also seemed to be less mean to him even if she tried to ignore him most of the time as if he didn't exist. And it's been that way ever since.

Right now he was walking through the festival, taking in all the sights and sounds and completely ignoring the harsh stares that always accompanied him whenever he went outside. He stopped a little bit away from the crowd of people congregating around an area. There were various stalls selling delicious food, the smells wafted from them as it tempted anyone's stomach passing to come and buy. Games were everywhere as both children and adult all gravitated towards them and compete to win a prize from the counters. Naruto stared at the stalls longingly. He didn't have any money so he can't join in playing alongside the kids his age or purchase any of the treats from the stalls. For now all he could do was watch and made a mental note on all of the things he should do next year when he does have money to join in. Still, it would be nice if he could do it now.

"Oh how adorable!"

Naruto started at the loud voice coming near him and whirled around to confront the person only to find himself smashing into a mass of soft purple cloth and falling on his butt with a yelp of "itai!" Rubbing his behind, he looked up to meet the pink eyes and smiling face of a very pretty lady. She had silky orange hair that framed her delicate face and tied back in a neat ponytail with a purple ribbon that matched her outfit. Her "kimono" was weird and all poofy as it flared out below her waist and had a lot of decoration to it. Somehow it suited her despite how odd it looked in fact her "kimono" made her seem prettier if possible.

"Why hello there, you must be Naruto-bou-chan. You can call be Sharon-onee-sama." The pretty lady introduced herself.

"H-how do you know my name!?" _Who is this lady?!_

"It's hard to explain. You see I came with your cousin, who knew your father. And my friends and I just learned about you." Sharon explained, the gentle look on her face never changing. Naruto, on the other hand, was completely shocked. " _His cousin? Father? They knew his father!?"_

"You know about my father! What can you tell me about him?! Was he a ninja? Jiji said that he was and that he died! How did you-"

"Naruto-bou-chan please! I can answer your questions if you don't give me time to answer." Sharon childe.

Naruto flushed with embarrassment. Can you blame him for wanting to know more about his parents. He had asked the Hokage countless of times before but was always answered with "when you are older." All he knew was that his Kaa-san and Tou-san loved him very much and that they were shinobi who died fighting the Kyuubi, leaving him an orphan.

"Besides it's a long story. To be honest, I don't know your father personally. None of my friends do. We just heard that he had a son and came to find you."

Naruto became chestfallen at that. He had hoped to know more about his parents. But then he perked up as he remembered that he still had a cousin. A cousin that came all this way looking for him. What sort of person were they? Would they be adopting him? What if it was all a mistake? What if they're not actually related? What if they were but his cousin didn't want him?

"Now, what is a sweet little boy such as yourself doing over here and not over there?" She asked, changing the subject when she saw the turmoil swirling in the boy's mind. Her eyes went to the area where he was staring earlier.

"I-I don't have any money, Sharon-nee-chan. So I can't play games or buy any food. Oh, but it's all right! I can save up next year. So Sharon-nee-chan shouldn't worry about me." Naruto confessed as he ended with a big smile, hoping she would buy that he was actually alright.

Sharon frowned, not fooled one bit by the little boy's smile. She had seen that look of longing before she approached him. At that point, she made up her mind. No child should be so unhappy during a day of celebration. It was the New Year's for Abyss' sake! He should be able to greet the coming year with joy in his heart, not one filled with envy.

Sharon gently touched the boy on the shoulder. "Come right this way, please." She then led him towards a nearby stall that sold takoyaki*. "Pardon me, good sir. I would like to purchase enough for two if you please."

"Sure thing, little lady. Just a moment." The man called out to her from the grill without looking up. With professional ease, he made two orders within seconds and finished it off with a quick brush of sauce and a sprinkle of garnish. The stand owner then turned to give the young lady her order until he caught sight of the Kyuubi brat shyly clutching onto the "unsuspecting" girl's dress.

"Oi, beat it, kid! What do ya think you're doing hang off of her like that?! Can't you see you're bothering the poor lady?! Now get out of my sight and don't come back!" The man roared at Naruto. He took sick satisfaction at the fear and shame that appeared on the boy's face once he started yelling. The girl would thank him for this for getting rid of the disgusting leech. After all, having an eyesore around you like that isn't good for a tourist.

" **Excuse me, sir. If you may please repeat what you just said to that darling child for me.** " Naruto couldn't help but let out a small "eep" as he slowly backed away from the newly angered Sharon-nee-chan. The nearby onlookers looked on in horror as the "civilian tourist" began emitting a malevolent aura around a person. What's even scarier is that she still had a "sweet" smile on her face even though it looked more bloodthirsty than anything. A Chunin who was present in the area was in awe of the girl. He didn't think that civilians were even capable of producing an impressive amount of KI until today.

"I-I-I-" The owner couldn't get another word out. He was shitting his pants already.

" **Yes~** "

"…I-It's nothing. F-Forget I ever s-said anyt-thing. HERE! T-Take your order! It's on the house! P-please forgive my outburst, milady!" The man practically shoved the two trays of takoyaki in her face with a bow so low his nose was almost touching the takoyaki grill. For a moment, everyone likened the scene to a desperate sinner presenting an offering to appease a scorned goddess.

Sharon suddenly beamed happily and the dark atmosphere disappeared as if it were never there, much to the people's bewilderment. "Why thank you very much, good sir! You are too kind." Sharon then dainty took the snacks from the man's hands. Turning to the still shocked Naruto, she planted her newly gained treat into his small hands and took hold of one of them. She then proceeded to lead the frozen boy away from the stall to enjoy their takoyaki elsewhere.

For a while the people who witness the incident stared at the woman as she disappeared down the street and into the crowd with Naruto in tow. There was an awkward silence for a while until the stall owner let out a loud sigh of relief and sank onto his knees, breaking the spell cast onto the people. After they all snapped out of their shock, they then left to go about their business. It would be too soon if they ever run into that girl.

 *** For those that don't know, they're Japanese snacks that are basically balls of wheat flour cooked with a chuck of octopus in the center. They have to be made in a specially made pan in order to make them, and they come with various toppings and sauces. Takoyaki are also one of the popular festival foods sold.**

* * *

XIV. The Foundling

Minato Namikaze was an abandoned child Jiraiya found during one of his many investigations. He had been following a lead on a nukenin who had sensitive information about Konoha, and the chase took him outside the Elemental Nations and into different country altogether, where the bastard hid to lay low until he thought the people hot on his trail lost interest. In the end, he was able to track him down and complete his mission by killing the traitor in his safehouse. However, the chase had led him deep into the heart of the foreign nation, forcing Jiraiya to navigate his way out to go back to Konoha. On his way to get out of the foreign land, he took shelter in an obscure church from a sudden blizzard that hit the area he was at. The nun in charge of the place, Clara-san, was kind enough to house him until the storm ended. He ended up staying almost a week at the church. During that time, he helped Clara-san take care of the baby who was abandoned one December night. She had found him crying on her doorstep one early morning and had taken care of him since. Since the newborn was obviously abandoned, she didn't hold much hope that his biological parents would come back and claim him. It's been a month since. She had uncreatively dubbed the infant "John Doe" as she can't refer to him as "the baby" or "the child". It would've been a disaster in the future. Nothing she thought up fits him, she claimed.

"It's sad, really. Cases like his are all too common, even rarer is that he's lucky enough to be left in good place. Most orphanages don't treat the children very well. Many end up on the streets to survive. Those that aren't given up are often killed. Usually it's the children of prostitutes who can't afford a child ruining their businesses or an illegitimate noble bastard who don't want a scandal ruining their family name. I mean, look at him. He's too pretty to be a common-born. Definitely a bastard at the least."

Jiraiya ended up getting attached to the baby boy. A natural father, Clara-san offhandedly described him one time when she caught him telling the infant a bedtime story. In turn, the boy was also equally excited to see him every day as he often turned towards Jiraiya with a toothless smile even with Clara-san in the room. By the end of the blizzard, he was almost disappointed that the storm didn't last longer.

Right when he was about to leave, Clara-san deposited "John Doe" in his arms and slid a piece of paper towards him. She wanted him to adopt.

"It's obvious to me that this child needs a proper parent. I'm too old to take care of him. In fact, I probably won't live to see him reach puberty. You've grown to love that boy as your own. Let me guess, you don't have children of your own, but you still want a family. Don't deny yourself the opportunity to be a father when fate's practically handing everything to you."

In the end, Jiraiya didn't hesitate to sign the documents. Clara-san even took out an old camera she owned and dusted it off for the occasion. And so Jiraiya left the church with a baby in tow. Inside his pouch, he kept a copy of the adoption papers and the original photo of the new father and son.

He can't wait to see the look on everyone's faces from this new development.

* * *

XV. Dysfunctional

Even though the Second Great Shinobi War was going on, the weather in the Fire Nation was still pleasantly sunny and warm. Inside the walls of Konohagakure, Jiraiya and the newly christened Minato Namikaze were inside the Toad Sannin's apartment. The trip back to Konoha was exhausting. Little Minato was practically drooling on his shoulder throughout the whole journey. He was never thankful to see the white walls surrounding his beloved home. Once he set foot inside the gates, he sent a Kage Bunshin to report to the Hokage and to show off the document and photo as proof his newly acquired title of "Father". Grimacing as he looked around his small not-yet-child-proof apartment, he decided to make due as he placed his sleeping son down on his bed and tucked the child in. A son. _His_ son. Those words have never sounded so special. He felt the urge to share the good news to his teammates. And he knew exactly how he wanted it to go. Creating a Kage Bunshin to watch over his sleeping child, he left his apartment and headed straight towards their usual rendezvous spot. Now the question is: what should he say to his teammates about Minato?

 **U(•** **ㅅ** **•** **)U**

"TSUNADE, MARRY ME! I NEED A MOTHER!" WHAK!

"It's bad enough that you keep begging me to go out with you, but this is a new low! What kind of woman would want to marry you if you want them to baby you all the time?!"

"NO! THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT! I MEAN-" SMACK! "Itai! Will you stop trying to hit me?! Listen to me!"

Orochimaru signed at his teammates' antics. If it's not one thing, it's another. Come to think of it, why would Jiraiya suddenly go from proclaiming his love to the sole female member of the Sannin to proposing out of the blue? Maybe it's because he's feeling his years. Not that he blamed him. They were all thirty, and at the right age to start their own families if the Second Great Shinobi War wasn't still going on. Perhaps something happened during his last mission that Jiraiya felt that he should marry the woman he loves before he regrets not to.

"OROCHIMARU, BE MY SON'S GODFATHER!"

"…"

"…"

"SON/GODFATHER?!" Tsunade and Orochimaru yelled at the same time! "YOU'RE A FATHER?!" What kind of woman was willing to procreate with their idiotic teammate and spawn his offspring?! Oh, Kami-sama! A son! A miniature Jiraiya running around the village! One was bad enough but two?!

"Only by adoption. I found the kid during my last mission. He was abandoned and the old woman taking care of him won't live much longer. So why not?" One of Jiraiya's biggest desires was to have a family of his own. Now that they thought about it, it made sense for him to suddenly adopt out of the blue. But still…

"Tsunade, I can understand…but me…a godfather?" Orochimaru questioned his old friend.

"Of course, why not? I can't imagine anyone else looking after my kid in case anything happens to me. Besides, as my friend, I trust you, Orochimaru." The way Jiraiya looked at him earnestly as he said that caused a stir within Orochimaru's chest. The Snake Sannin actually felt touched that Jiraiya thought that he was so dependable. Turning away in embarrassment, he didn't say anything to confirm nor deny but the two men got the unspoken message.

"So what are we all standing around for? Are you going to introduce us to the gaki, Jiraiya? I want him to meet his Tsunade-ba-chan~" Tsunade demanded, ending her last sentence with a girlish squeal as she imagined how cute the child might be. If she played her cards right, she can teach him how not to be a pervert like Jiraiya. A little gentleman. As if she'll let Jiraiya keep her away, who knows what sort of things the gaki will pick up if she's not there.

When the trio finally reached Jiraiya's apartment complex, they saw an unusual sight at the outside of Jiraiya's door. It was Sarutobi-sensei.

"Now where's my new honorary grandson?!" Hiruzen boomed excitedly, a happy glint in his eyes. …And why was he emitting a bright golden aura and sparkles?!

 **U(•** **ㅅ** **•** **)U**

Unfortunately all good things must come to an end. The war was still going on, and the Sannin were forced to leave Minato's care to the Hokage and the village to fight alongside their comrades. It would be years before they would see the boy again. By the time things finally settled down, Minato was already an independent young man. All they could do was watch over him from far away. While Jiraiya may have missed his son's childhood, he was determined to make up for it by becoming his sensei. As the years passed, he continued to feel nothing but pride as Minato took the world by storm. It was when Minato declared Jiraiya to be the godfather of his unborn son, Naruto, that he finally revealed his parentage.

Minato, of course, was shocked. He didn't even react when his heavily pregnant wife, Kushina, ranted and raged at his adopted father about how he should've come clean about everything earlier and why he kept it a secret all this time. Jiraiya just stayed put and took Kushina's infamous temper tantrum like a boss. After all, she had a point, and he deserved it. Once Minato snapped out of his shock, he got up and hugged the Toad Sannin.

"Welcome home…Tou-san." Minato whispered. Jiraiya returned the hug and allowed himself to cry. All the while, Kushina smiled at the long awaited father-son reunion. She rubbed at her protruding belly fondly as she waddled out of the dining room.

"Why don't me and you leave your Tou-san and Jii-san to catch up? OK, Naru-chan?" Kushina whispered to the child in her womb. As if he wanting to answer his mother in affirmative, Kushina felt a soft the unborn Naruto kick where her hand was.

* * *

 **AN: I just realized after I posted the last chapter…I FORGOT ABOUT EMILY! So I edited the last act. Sorry for the inconvenience. That Acts are getting longer and longer. Should I be happy about it? What am I talking about? Of course I am! It just means my plot bunny's still going! Now that I think about it, I think it spontaneously spawned. Should do a separate omake story on what happens in between Acts? I want to hear your opinions on it in your reviews.**

 **But anyways, thanks for reading this, and please leave behind constructive criticism.** (ノTДT)ノ ┫:･'.::･┻┻:･'.::･


	6. Acts XVI-XVIII

**Disclaimer:** **I am still waiting on the next chapter of The Case Study of Vanitas. I must be a masochist because I want more from Jun Mochizuka! Move aside, Narutard!Me, I crave maor Pandora Hearts Syndrome~!**

 **Warnings: SPOILER ALERT! For those of you who haven't finished Pandora Hearts or haven't reached Chapter 66 yet, I recommend coming back to this on a later note. Despite this being an AU, from this point forward, I'll be taking stuff from future chapters and incorporating it into my story. You have been warned.**

* * *

XVI. Proof in the Pudding

It was common standard for any shinobi village that all suspicious newcomers must be submitted to the T & I Department for evaluation, willingly or by force. This is where Oz and his friends found themselves to be in. Even though they hold proof that they are who they say they are and made clear on what they want from Konoha, paranoia was still a shinobi's best friend. Besides, the documents could be forged. And so, everyone was separated into separate groups based on their "subdivisions". Inoichi Yamanaka and Ibiki Morino were to handle "Vessalius" group consisting of Oz, Gilbert, and Alice. Anko was quick to snap up Riem, the only one "unaffiliated", simply because "he looked fun to tease" (a sentiment Xerxes wholeheartedly agreed with). Lastly, Xerxes and Sharon, the "Rainsworth" group, would be interviewed by Shikaku Nara. In the end, it took a few hours to get through everyone.

Riem Lunettes was the first to be done. Anko would later report to the Third Hokage that "it got old pretty quick". Riem spent most of the session unconscious as Anko's "tender mercies" proved to be too much for him, causing him faint frequently (they would later learn that the much of the cause was his horror at how scantily clad her outfit was given the women of his culture were more modest than Elemental Nation civilian women). And she didn't even have to be to try too much to get the basics out of him, thus confirmed that he is a "civilian" in the eyes of shinobi. There was nothing much, just an overview on his culture, the importance of Oz and Sharon in their society as nobles. Needless to say, there was no real problem with him other than that he can keep sensitive information and his ability to gather intelligence.*

The "Rainsworth" were the next ones out. Shikaku honestly enjoyed playing mind games with Xerxes, mentally picking him part. Shikaku reported that Xerxes' blindness was a recent ailment and as well as his newfound ability to "see" using the "Mad Hatter" as a medium. One that he had discovered while searching for Jiraiya in Shukuba Town every time he had given them the slip. "Mad Hatter's" actual ability is the capability to destroy the other summons or anything related to them. Shikaku also adds that every sweets shop in Konoha should expect a new regular, given Xerxes' unquenchable sweet tooth. Then there's Sharon herself. She is a typical epitome of a lady of nobility. No real threat other than that she too had a summon like the others but remained tight lip about what it is and what it can do. In addition, she is shown to be emotionally attached to her servant/bodyguard and vice-versa. The real kicker…the girl had permission from her grandmother to pursue the relationship! Judging from the gobsmacked look on Xerxes' face, she hadn't told him of this new development. After the talks ended, the two of them left Shikaku behind looking no less like a newly married couple. How troublesome.

However, it was the last group that caught their attention. The first alarm bell was that the blood tests show there is a distant relation between Oz and Naruto, proving that they were more or less cousins. This means Oz can claim Naruto from the orphanage and out of the hands of the civilian council under the excuse of "clan business". Best of all, it's all legal, and they can't do anything about it. The problem is that they also have diplomatic immunity as foreign nobility, meaning not even the Fire Daimyo himself can touch them without risking all out war with their country, given how important Oz is to them. Riem specifically specified that during his mild interrogation.

The second issue? During the course of the questionings, Inoichi was supposed to discreetly use the Mind Body Switch Technique to read Oz's memories without him or anyone knowing, but that's when everything went wrong. Both Inoichi and Oz suddenly fell unconscious and fell into an immediate coma. Alice's form started to disappear into orbs of light before vanishing altogether. Gilbert, in his rage, took out his run and began attacking Ibiki, only to be quickly subdued by him. He is currently being under ANBU guard in Oz's hospital room, refusing to leave his master alone, after both the boy and Inoichi were admitted to be monitored. The situation is kept under wraps to hopefully prevent the possible political backlash from the group. However, it was only a temporary measure as Riem is patiently waiting for the "Vessalius" group to finish their session. They can only hold off for so long. Luckily, Xerxes and Sharon decided to take advantage of the New Year's Festival and went out on a date together. This way, the upcoming conflict will be minimized. If Hiruzen doesn't want to lose any of the foreigner's trust, he has to tread carefully at this point. He hoped there won't be any new headaches after this.

* * *

XVII. The Looking Glass' Deception

 **AN: The italicized are quotes from Chapters 66 to 74 of Pandora Hearts.**

 _Glen! This is your doing, isn't it!_

He was falling.

 _Why?! Why are you doing this? Why are you doing such a horrible thing? Answer me… Answer me, Glen!_

Deeper and deeper into the memories.

 _In that case… The answer is simple. I'll just have to…bring the world to you._

These are… These are Jack's? But… but this is all wrong…right?

 _Hey! Look! Look! Aren't they cute, these little twin rabbits?! One is mine, and the other is for you. They're a matching pair!_

Wait a second… No, those aren't Jack's at all. Those are his. He was sure of it. But then how… who is he? Is "Oz" really…?

 _Oz! Oz! Oz! From now on I'll call you Oz!_

His name… that's his name… Everything seems so familiar now, but why couldn't he remember all this before?

 _Oz. You've been by our side since the beginning. Having you with me…made me extremely happy. Thank you… Don't worry. Alice and I, we are one and the same… But you…are mine. I won't let anyone take away what is mine! I'll protect you with my own hands!_

Alice? I see…all this time… She was…

 _Oz! You're a very good friend. You're a special person to me. So please…promise me that…when I'm in trouble…or if there are people that want to hurt me…you will…come and save me._

Alice… Alice! Alice, I'm so sorry. Alice…

 _Look, Jack! Blood red rain!_

Wait, that song. Who is singing? Lacie!

 _Really? What a dull name!_

Lacie?

"I see... All this time, you've… What were you…? How could you have thought…? Jack. ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO STAY SILENT, JACK?! ANSWER ME, JACK!"

* * *

XVIII. A Mother's Feelings

 **AN: The following has some elements of Chapter 76 of Pandora Hearts.**

When Alice woke up, she found herself in the middle of what looks like an empty room. She was alone sitting on a wide couch and wearing a dark dress she didn't remember changing into. Searching through her memories, she recalled that Oz wanted to go find his missing "brother" so they traveled to a land called the Elemental Nations. After that they went to Konoha once they tracked down Michael's adoptive father, but the leader was suspicious of them and asked that they answer some questions to his people. They were separated into groups and interviewed by a different person in another room. That's when things went wrong. Sometime after they stated questioning, the platinum blonde guy with the long ponytail did something and then both he and Oz collapsed. The last thing she remembered was reaching for Oz as he fell before her body started to disappear. And then nothing.

"Don't worry. You're safe. Oz is safe."

Turning around, she was met with a…mirror? No, wait… It's her, but she's all white!

"…I'm…WHITE?!" Alice exclaimed in shock.

The other "her" just giggled at her reaction. "What are you talking about? Are you still sleeping or what?" Alice was really confused now. Then she remembered that Rufus said that she had a twin. So that means, she's the Will of the Abyss! The last time she "met" her sister, it was in a form of a white rabbit doll.

"You've been searching for 'your' damaged memories, right? I guess you've forgotten everything. You've been wrong all this time." The Will of the Abyss said as she smiled sadly.

A bubble of indignation rose from within her. Alice immediately stood up and turned to her sister with fury written across her face. "What do you mean I'm wrong about this?! They're my memories! You think you can tell me that I can't search for them? How dare you-"

"Because they're not really 'your' memories. They were mine…"

Alice stopped dead from her rant. "…W-what? What are you saying?!"

"If you really want to know… let me help you remember." The Will of the Abyss reached her hand out towards Alice to take hold of. Alice looked at the offered hand in wariness. Should she take it? What if it was a trap? But what if it's not?

Mustering up her courage, she reached forward and cautiously touched her sister's hand. A sudden rush of memories rapidly flowed into her.

 **U(•** **ㅅ** **•** **)U**

"So what will you do now? You can't exist outside the Abyss as 'B-Rabbit' now that Oz has taken back his role. And I doubt you'll want to stay here either." The Will of the Abyss asked her twin.

"Well, what do you think I should do? Of course I want out? Oz is still my manservant, B-Rabbit or not!" Now that Alice remembered everything, she needed to get back to Oz. The

"I suppose I'll have to step in and help my sister then. Why don't I do the same thing I did with Kevin Regnard?" In other words, the Will of the Abyss will create a Chain that will be from Alice and for Alice alone and no one else.

"Kevin Regnard? Who's tha- oh, right… The clown. So now, how will we do this then? You're not going to rip out my eye and turn it into a Chain, are you?" Even though having such a Chain would be a huge power-up once she got out of the Abyss, she'd rather keep both her eyes, thank you very much… And all of her body parts intact.

"No, no." The pale twin shook her head. "What I'm about to do… What _we_ are about to do…is very special. Your Chain will be much different compared to all others… After all, the Core did save _it_ just for us."

"It? Special? For _us_?"

"…Lacie…our mother…when she was cast into the Abyss, everything about her was supposed to be destroyed. However, the Core and I were able to save her memories and feelings. I…I gave them to Oz so that Jack can see how Mother felt about him… Of course that was a mistake…" " _One that nearly destroyed the world in the process. All thanks to one man's obsession."_ The two girls thought bitterly.

"Where are you going with this?"

"When I gave Oz Mother's fragments, he took it inside his being. Being shared between two bodies, the Abyss couldn't find all of her and destroy her completely so it only targeted what it could. Despite losing one of his bodies in the process, he was able to keep the remaining fragments in his being. So when you became 'Alice the B-Rabbit'…"

"…the fragments went inside me!?" This was a shock. All this time Alice had been carrying their mother inside of her without her ever knowing. She felt one part awkward having bits of someone else inside her very being but two parts overjoyed that Lacie wasn't completely gone.

"The Core and I will use those as a basis for your Chain. Don't worry. After being integrated inside another being for so long, the Abyss doesn't recognize the fragments as 'Lacie'. So now sister dear. Are you ready?" Despite her serene appearance, she can't help but feel a wave of excitement ready to burst out and ruin her composure. Maybe it's the Core's eagerness bleeding into her, but she was looking forward to seeing what kind of Chain the fragments of their mother would become.

Alice looked at her sister, her whole posture screamed confidence and her eyes alight with a familiar fiery determination. "I…No… _We_ were born ready." This Chain will be _glorious_!

* * *

 **AN: This… was a difficult chapter for me. Though I did have fun playing around with the PH canon. About Lacie, I really wanted this sort of thing to happen in the manga. Sadly it's Pandora Hurts and not Pandora Happy. Imagine this happening:**

 **Jack was in the middle of destroying the world going "IT WAS ME ALL ALONG!" or whatever and all of a sudden, Chain!Lacie comes in all "LEEEERRROOOY JENKINS!" Jack gets overjoyed and says "Mai Waifu!" Everyone is shocked and was "who dat fuk is dat hoe?" Alice, Alyss, and Oz were in the sidelines going "Mommy?!" Glen in the background be all "Mai Imouto Can't Be This Cute!" The Core was like "FINISH HIM!" Then she goes up to Jack and bitchslaps the dude some sense back into his head and goes "Ain't Nobody Got Time Fo Dat!" Jack was crying on the ground in a dogeza position at her feet begging "NOTICE ME SEMPAI!" She goes "Try me Bitch!" with her foot on his back cackling like a dominatrix. And everyone be like "Jus Fuk Alredy!" The End. Sadly that scene will only exist in my crackiest of fantasies.**

 ***In canon, Riem can hold his alcohol and is the best drinker out of everyone in the Pandora Organization. Pros: He uses this opportunity to get information from the wasted. Cons: As the only one sober in the room, he's often the only one capable for the clean-up afterwards.**

 ***This is a headcanon of mine. Since the Abyss has the ability to warp and distort random objects into Chains, like toys and even people, it would make sense for Mad Hatter to once have been Xerxes' left eye or at least a shadow of it since Cheshire's pretty much using it as well. The Will of the Abyss made Mad Hatter specifically for Xerxes in order to help him fulfill her wish so she took something of his already existing and made it into a Chain for him. However, the whole "being able to see through Mad Hatter" was obviously made up. Now that I think about it, the mechanics are a lot like Gaara's Third Eye Technique. I thought it would be cool if he could do that in this fic as an edge against his opponents in future battles.**

 **Spring Break is ending and I'm feeling sad. I think there's only one more chapter in me before I turn my attention to my education. I probably won't be working on this more until summer so I hope you've enjoyed what I have so far until then. Also I really need your feedback and votes on how to improve N:CBS. So please review and go to my profile page to for the poll I set up if you haven't already. Mai plot bunny needs to grow up maor!**

 **But anyways, thanks for reading this, and please leave behind constructive criticism.** (ヘ･_･)ヘ┳━┳


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